The keys to progress

Strength training is actually pretty easy - the key to it is Progressive Resistance and Adaptation. Progressive Resistance and Adaptation simply mean that the workout that you struggle to complete this week will feel much easier a few weeks from now (Adaptation).

That means you must gradually, and constantly, find new ways to increase the level of difficulty (Progressive Resistance). You can do this by:

Adding more weight

Decreasing the rest time between exercises

Performing more exercises (sets or reps)

The problem is that most people don't utilize the principles of progressive resistance, and as a result any adaptation has occurred long ago. They stick to the same old workout, at the same old weight, for months or even years on end - and then wonder why they don't make any progress. The key to progressing is to understand the relationship between weight and intensity.

If you train with sufficient intensity you are almost guaranteed to make progress - but how do you measure intensity? And how do you add it to your workouts?